What happened
During an ILS approach for runway 05, the flight crew encountered difficulties maintaining a proper descent profile while crossing the mondi intersection. Due to the combination of their current altitude and significant tailwind components, the captain determined that a standard descent could not be maintained. In response, the crew transitioned to an outbound heading to facilitate a loss of altitude before re-establishing themselves on the inbound course at roughly 120 knots.
As the aircraft descended toward the threshold, the co-pilot reported a sudden and severe loss of lift, describing a sensation where the bottom of the aircraft dropped out, at approximately 300 feet above the ground. The aircraft subsequently struck the surface of a frozen cove. Following the initial impact, the plane slid across marshy terrain, eventually coming to a rest approximately 500 feet before reaching the runway.
Findings
Investigation into the atmospheric conditions revealed significant wind fluctuations during the approach. At altitudes between 2,400 and 450 feet, winds were recorded at 180 degrees at 30 knots. Near the surface, specifically from 450 feet down to the ground, the wind shifted to 100 degrees at 5 knots. These shifts contributed to varying ground speeds throughout the descent.
Several contributing factors were identified during the investigation, including:
- Low visibility caused by fog and low cloud ceilings
- Nighttime operating conditions
- Turbulence encountered within clouds
- The presence of a windshear event
- A sudden downdraft
- Icy terrain conditions at the impact site